This application discloses an invention that is related, generally and in various embodiments, to systems and methods for managing a network.
Some network environments provide companies with critical information technology (IT) services for installing, connecting, managing and securing their network environment. However, traditional network implementations have required that network infrastructure capable of supporting computer applications be assembled using disparate hardware, software and systems that must be manually configured and managed. As a result, these traditional network implementations have been utilized primarily by large enterprises with large information technology (IT) budgets.
Small and medium businesses (SMBs) represent the majority of businesses, and their network management and security needs are no less critical that that of larger enterprises. However, due to budgetary and technological constraints, traditional secure network management systems, services, and elements are usually not a viable option for SMBs. Most SMBs lack the necessary IT staff and budget resources to effectively manage secure network environments that may be leveraged to deploy distributed applications that run on these networks and make those businesses more competitive.